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Hurricane Katrina

NAMI Responds to the Tragedy of Hurricane Katrina

Resources, Support, Education, and how you can help Gulf Coast Consumers, Families, and Friends Living with Mental Illness

Update:

Due to the generosity of our donors and supporters, as of January 20, 2005, NAMI has distributed over $110,000 to provide direct support for consumers living with mental illness in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida as a result of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. One Hundred Percent of the donated funds have been used to offer direct support; none has been used for organizational administration.

Through stipends to NAMI Louisiana, NAMI Mississippi and NAMI Florida, funds have been directly distributed to consumers through NAMI affiliate leaders. Donations have supported phone cards, temporary housing, medicine, medical treatment, lab work, food, clothing, transportation, and support for refurnishing their homes and assisted living facilities with basic essentials for hundreds of consumers displaced and in many cases left without basic health and human supports.

On behalf of people living with mental illness in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, NAMI thanks the contributors to the NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

NAMI HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF FUND

Donations are no longer being routinely accepted at this time. If you are interested in making a donation, please call 1-888-999-6264, option 3.

If are you are a NAMI State or Affiliate and would like to apply for grant money through the NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund please download the NAMI Grant Request Guidelines and Process. (pdf, opens in a new browser window)

In the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of people are without shelter, food, water, electricity, and other basic provisions. Those affected include our NAMI family members, state and local leaders, and most critically, people with mental illnesses, whose access to treatment and medications may have been disrupted.

In addition, mental illness symptoms are often exacerbated in times of crisis, and many individuals, even those not directly affected by the hurricane, may need assistance in identifying and accessing available resources.

With the assistance of concerned grassroots leaders, NAMI has prepared this resource to aspire to provide support to our state organizations, local affiliates, consumers, family members, and citizens affected by this terrible tragedy. Many resources are available to assist with connecting need with resource. However, NAMI recognizes that the needs of families, consumers, and friends of people living with mental illness are often unique. We also recognize the culture of the NAMI network of families across the country who identify with these special circumstances fellow NAMI members and others may encounter.

To that end, with this resource NAMI will aspire to serve as a conduit of information, both for those who need help and for those who would like to help. Following are the ways NAMI intends to help, as well as resources we have identified for those in need.

Additionally, NAMI national is committed to supporting the state NAMI organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama by providing additional resources to their NAMI efforts. Neighboring state NAMI organizations are embracing the NAMI mission in all ways by reaching out to those most directly affected. NAMI national will strive to provide triage and coordination of these support efforts to our NAMI leadership.

The NAMI community is strong, will stand together, and will strive to ensure that people living with mental illness and their families are not alone.

This resource guide is laid out in sections based on services needed. Please click on any of the links below to be taken to those specific resources or you can download the full resource guide in PDF format above.

Message Board

Many message boards are in operation (see below). NAMI national recognizes, however, that the unique needs of its members and leaders can perhaps be best supported by providing a unique place for NAMI and for those with serious mental illness and their families to offer support, share, connect, and process.

The NAMI Hurricane Katrina Message Board provides a place for those in need to post requests and for those with offers of support and assistance to relate to the larger NAMI community.

E-Mail Alerts

During this traumatic time, NAMI national will feature special editions of Friday Facts to keep the NAMI community apprised of emergency situations and special requests as well as stories as they resolve.

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